THE  RURAL  NEW-VORKER 
The  Rural  New-Yorker 
THE  arsis  ESS  FARMER'S  paper 
A  National  Weekly  Journul  for  Country  and  Suburban  Home* 
Establijshcit  <sso 
Published  sTfchly  by  (hr  lltirul  Vuhlidiinc  Compuny.  SSI*  W»*t  SOIh  Strrri,  ,\r«  fork 
Hervkrt  W.  CozuNcrwoon,  President  utul  Editor. 
Jons'  J.  Billon,  TJreusurnr  and  Coucral  Muuitffcr. 
W».  F.  Dillon.  Secretary,  MRS.  K.  X.  Roylc,  Associate  Editor. 
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We  believe  that  every  advertisement  in  tills  paper  is  backed  by  a  respon- 
sible  i;ei>on.  W  c  use  every  possible  pfccantlon  and  admit  the  advertising  of 
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rcwpoiiMbie  tunijws,  wluMli^r  ndvci’tisciw  or  iioti  WcvilUnpflv  uso  our  pootj 
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tnuiK<ir*Uons.  \\  »•  Hubsci-ihcrs  nifKinRt  nwiMW* ]but  wr  will  not  be 
njtooiisible  for  ilio  debus  of  honest  bankrupts  sanctioned  bv  the  courts. 
Notice  ot  the  complaint  joust,  be  sent  to  us  witniu  one  month  of  the  time  of 
the  transaction,  and  to  identify  it,  you  should  mention  The  Ki’KAL  Kew* 
Yorker  ’when  wilting  the  advertiser. 
“Live  aud  lot  live.”  You  practice  this  and  preach 
it.  Wily  not  take  it  for  a  motto?  It  is  about  equal  to 
the  Golden  Rule.  H.  b.  B. 
Connecticut. 
WE  would  like  to  amend  this  motto  a  little  and 
make  it,  "Live  aud  help  live.’’  It  is  not  quite 
enough  to  keep  hands  off  aud  let  a  brother  carry  his 
own  burden.  Let  us  all  try  to  help  liim  carry  it. 
* 
THIS  back-to-the-land  discussion  lias  begun  early 
this  year,  and  as  usual  it  trill  stay  late.  The 
R.  X.-Y.  has  no  wish  to  "knock”  any  honest  desire 
for  a  home  in  the  country,  though  with  many  people 
a  knock  is  really  kinder  than  a  boost.  Rack-tu-t lie- 
landing  is  pioneer  work :  in  spirit  much  like  the  job 
our  fathers  undertook  in  going  into  a  new  country 
to  make  a  home.  That  work  required  men  and 
women  specially  fitted  by  nature  to  endure  and 
struggle,  and  modern  back-to-the-la ruling  also  re¬ 
quires  special  fitness  for  the  work.  We  intend  to 
put  before  our  readers  a  fair  statement  from  those 
who  have  tried  this  plan  and  can  now  talk  about 
it  without  prejudice,  a  desire  to  boost  or  a  wish  to 
sell  something.  These  three  classes  are  poor  ad¬ 
visers. 
* 
After  reading  page  1520  of  the  current  number  of 
The  R.  N.-Y.  I  wondered  if  you  had  ever  read  the  en¬ 
closed,  relative  to  the  latest  operations  of  the  man  from 
St.  Louis; 
IIAT  is  from  a  Pennsylvania  friend  who  sends 
copies  of  the  paper  issued  by  our  old  friend 
E.  G.  Lewis.  He  is  still  working  the  same  old  wind 
machine.  Here  is  a  good  sample  of  liis  guff: 
Learn  to  shake  hands  like  you  were  a  man.  That 
jelly-fish  wiggle  you  have  imparts  listlessness.  Put  a 
punch  in  your  grip  and  a  pump  in  your  arm — it  wins! 
And  what's  the  matter  with  your  enthusiasm?  Pep 
up  a  bit!  Learn  to  cultivate  enthusiasm.  It  is  the 
energy  that  runs  your  system. 
If  Lewis  thinks  we  put  no  punch  or  pump  in  our 
arm  when  we  hit  him  we  might  try  again.  But 
what’s  the  use?  If  there  are  really  any  human 
donkeys  in  this  country  liable  to  bray  their  approval 
of  Lewis  and  his  schemes  there  is  no  use  trying  to 
stop  them.  Their  Hide  is  too  thick! 
* 
A  YOUNG  New  England  man  tells  of  a  conversa¬ 
tion  he  lmd  with  an  old  farmer  who  did  not 
believe  in  modern  ideas: 
When  I  asked  him  why  in  the  world  he  didn’t  spray 
his  orchard,  which  was  in  terrible  shape,  he  said: 
“Well  boy.  there’s  lots  of  new-fangled  bugs  nowadays. 
And  the  Lord’s  creating  them  to  punish  our  wickedness, 
and  there  ain’t  no  use  in  competin’  with  the  Lord.” 
No  one  in  his  right  mind  will  dispute  that  last 
statement,  hut  is  one  who  uses  modern  methods  to 
obtain  good  fruit  in  “competition  with  file  Lord?” 
It  seems  to  us  that  lie  is  rather  working  in  harmony 
with  Him,  siuce  the  knowledge  of  how  to  spray  and 
apply  the  teachings  of  science  was  evidently  given 
us  for  a  worthy  purpose.  Would  this  man  refuse  to 
make  use  of  gas  or  the  electric  light,  or  ride  on  the 
railroad,  because  these  things  are  new,  or  because 
they  enable  us  to  do  better  work  or  enjoy  comforts 
which  our  grandfathers  never  dreamed  of? 
* 
MOST  of  the  experts,  in  figuring  out  a  balanced 
ration,  state  that  the  feeder  must  have  good 
judgment  and  know  the  individual  tastes  of  his  cows. 
If  this  means  anything  we  are  to  conclude  that  cows 
differ  in  (heir  food  likes  and  requirements  much  as 
human  beings  do.  Now  there  comes  a  doubting 
Thomas  who  questions  whether  there  are  any  such 
differences  among  cows: 
We  can  well  understand  that  a  ration  may  at  times 
be  constipating  or  may  be  laxative,  and  therefore  should 
be  modified  accordingly.  We  can  also  understand  that 
at  times  a  certain  cow  might  appear  to  be  getting  thin 
on  a  ration,  and  that  it  should  be  widened  by  the  ad¬ 
dition  of  some  carbohydrates  in  order  to  make  it  more 
fattening.  Or  conversely  a  cow  may  be  getting  too  fat 
on'  a  ration,  and  that  therefore  some  carbohydrates 
should  he  eliminated.  But  aside  from  these  particular 
features  we  would  like  to  know  if  there  are  any  other 
ways  in  which  rations  can  produce  different  effects  on 
different  cows,  And  also  is  it  likely  that  as  a  general 
thiug  a  particular  ration  would  make  certain  cows  fat 
and  not  make  other  cows  fat,  or  be  constipating  for  one 
cow  and  not  for  another.? 
Now  this  is  a  strong  and  sensible  question,  of  im¬ 
portance  to  all  cow  feeders.  It  cannot  he  answered 
by  any  single  experience.  We  have  several  eases  of 
our  own  where  cows  and  horses  certainly  show  a 
preference  for  certain  foods,  and  surely  do  better 
when  they  have  what  they  like.  The  question  is 
too  broad  and  important  to  he  settled  by  any  single 
experience.  Therefore  we  ask  all  who  are  inter¬ 
ested  to  tell  us  of  cases  where  cows  showed  pecu¬ 
liar  tastes  or  cravings  of  this  sort,  and  where  they 
did  better  when  such  tastes  were  recognized. 
♦ 
THE  air  is  full  of  rumors  about  Eastern  farming. 
Among  others  the  story  comes  that  farmers  in 
Southern  New’  Jersey  are  planning  to  turn  from 
truck  farming  to  dairying.  It  is  claimed  that  the 
shortage  of  potash  will  make  potatoes  unprofitable 
on  the  light  Jersey  soils,  and  that  the  manure  is 
greatly  needed.  After  tracing  this  rumor  down 
carefully  we  conclude  that  the  following  states  the 
ease  fairly : 
White  potato  growing  has  been  a  profitable  cash  crop 
on  many  good  dairy  farms  in  past  years.  Last  year  it 
was  very  unprofitable.  White  potatoes  are  an  expen¬ 
sive  crop  to  grow,  and  it  looks  now  as  though  seed  and 
fertilizer  would  ho  very  high  in  the  Spring.  For  these 
reasons  many  of  the  dairymen  will  reduce  their  acre¬ 
age  in  potatoes  ami  devote  more  of  their  attention  to 
the  dairy  end.  which  is  often  somewhat  neglected  when 
potatoes  sell  well.  It  is  simply  a  ease  of  less  gambling 
on  potatoes  and  more  attention  to  the  cow  that  has 
proved  her  worth.  As  for  regular  truck  farmers,  they 
are  not  turning  to  dairying  because  their  soil  is  not 
so  well  suited  to  this  line  of  farming.  There  is  a  ten¬ 
dency  though  (and  a  very  commendable  one)  for  them 
to  devote  a  less  acreage  to  the  cash  crops  and  a  greater 
acreage  than  usual  to  the  growing  of  the  corn  and  hay 
for  home  use. 
That  seems  to  he  the  truth  of  the  matter  and 
when  thus  brought  down  to  fact  the  movement  is  a 
good  one,  as  it  means  n  saner  and  more  conservative 
plan  of  farming.  At  the  same  time  we  are  on  record 
as  saying  that  the  dairy  business  will  surely  appear 
more  and  more  as  a  part  of  fruit  and  truck  farm¬ 
ing.  There  will  soon  he  enough  small,  choice  herds 
kept  as  a  side  line  for  truck  and  fruit  to  make 
quite  a  difference  in  the  business. 
* 
WE  were  told  recently  liow.  at  a  meeting  of 
Maine  fanners  efforts  were  made  to  analyze 
the  feeling  regarding  the  most  necessary  thing.  They 
decided  that  “the  community  spirit”  is  most  needed. 
We  think  this  hits  it  about  right,  for  the  ability  of 
fanners  to  combine  and  get  together  in  mutual  con¬ 
fidence  lies  at  the  foundation  of  all  success.  •  We 
cannot  think  of  a  single  one  of  the  desired  reforms 
which  can  ever  make  a  permanent  success  until 
farmers  can  learn  how  to  trust  each  other  and 
develop  this  community  spirit.  Some  of  the  people 
who  are  pushing  pet  theories  or  who  promise  great 
things  from  (lie  government  may  dispute  the  state¬ 
ment,  hut  a  little  thought  will  show  anyone  that 
unless  the  units  can  get  together  the  universe  will 
fall  apart.  For  many  years  The  R.  N.-Y.  has  taught 
the  necessity  of  developing  this  true  community 
spirit  before  we  can  ever  hope  to  control  the  larger 
things  which  mean  so  much  to  us.  Take  for  exam¬ 
ple  the  auction  system  of  selling  produce.  It  is 
easy  to  see  that  when  the  farmers  of  a  neighborhood 
can  combine  and  send  a  carload  of  uniform  quality 
the  auction  can  dispose  of  it  to  far  better  advantage 
than  when  25  different  farmers  each  send  a  small 
shipment!  “IL/io  is  my  neighbor?”  The  answer  to 
that  question  was  the  parable  of  the  Good  Sam- 
a  ritan. 
* 
As  to  my  opinion  of  tin*  value  tu  the  farmers  of  the 
Department  of  Foods  and  Markets,  I  regard  it  as  the 
most  hopeful  of  recent  developments  in  the  agricultural 
economy  of  the  State,  since  it  is  a  practical  recognition 
of  the  fact  thnl  the  problem  of  distribution  has  sur¬ 
passed  that  of  production  in  importance  to  American 
farmers,  and  it  embodies  a  genuine  and  sensible  effort 
to  solve  that  problem  in  the  interests  of  both  producers 
and  consumers. 
HAT  is  the  opinion  of  a  thoughtful  and  intelli¬ 
gent  farmer.  On  the  other  hand  the  Depart¬ 
ment  has  been  called  visionary,  foolish  and  useless 
by  the  commission  men  and  their  organs.  It  does 
not  take  a  man  with  any  brain  development  long 
to  classify  such  opinions.  The  farmer  belongs  to 
a  class  which  has  for  long  years  been  robbed  and 
defrauded  by  our  present  system  of  distributing 
farm  products.  Under  the  usual  conditions  as  soon 
as  produce  leaves  the  farm  to  he  sold  on  commission 
the  farmer  loses  all  control  of  it.  The  price,  the 
handling,  the  charges  and  the  disposition  of  the 
goods  are  all  taken  out  <»f  liis  hands.  He  must  take 
what  is  handed  him  unless  lie  is  of  unusual  strength 
or  influence.  Naturally  such  a  man  welcomes  any 
movement  which  promises  to  give  him  a  fairer 
January  S,  1910. 
chance.  On  the  other  hand  the  dealers  and  handlers 
have  developed  a  system,  often  dishonest  and  always 
selfish,  which  has  enabled  them  to  monopolize  trade 
so  that  they  control  prices  and  practically  destroy 
competition.  When  the  new  Department  comes  with 
plans  for  making  competition  free  and  establishing 
prices  which  will  fairly  represent  demand  and  sup¬ 
ply,  of  course  these  dealers  oppose  it,  because  if 
fully  carried  out  it  means  the  end  of  their  selfish 
monopoly.  This  accounts  for  the  radical  difference 
of  opinion  between  the  producer  and  the  middleman. 
Each  is  moved  by  what  he  considers  liis  “rights.” 
Can  any  fair  man  fail  to  see  that  in  such  a  case 
the  rights  of  the  producer  are  much  broader  and 
far  more  necessary  to  the  country  than  the  narrow 
and  selfish  “rights”  of  the  handler  or  dealer? 
* 
IF  you  had  told  your  grandfather  that  a  river 
tumbling  down  a  steep  hill  50  miles  from  his 
farm  would  some  day  he  used  to  generate  a  power 
that  would  light  and  heat  his  house,  turn  the  wheels 
of  his  machinery  and  drive  cars  past  liis  door,  what 
would  he  have  done  to  you?  At  that  time  the  river 
operated  a  small  grist  mill,  and  that  was  the  limit 
of  its  power.  Now  through  the  electric  wire  it 
reaches  out  its  strong  arms  75  miles  in  all  directions. 
Have  the  wonders  of  the  past  25  years  made  us 
wiser  than  grandfather?  Those  who  follow  us  will 
see  almost  ns  great  a  change  wrought  at  the  coal 
mines  as  we  have  seen  at  the  river.  The  present 
costly  and  wasteful  system  of  distributing  coal  will 
some  day  he  abandoned.  Instead  of  this  freight 
transportation  the  coal  will  he  burned  at  the  mines 
and  its  power  distributed  either  as  gas  in  pipes  or 
as  electric  force  over  the  wire.  The  vast  piles  of 
waste  which  we  see  around  coal  mines  will  be  used 
in  this  way,  and  some  mines  will  be  more  economic¬ 
ally  worked  by  burning  the  coal  underground  and 
using  the  gas  In  those  days  the  coal  mines  will 
he  less  like  grocery  stores  handing  out  candles  and 
more  like  one  giant  candle  sending  out  its  heat  and 
power. 
* 
THE  secretary  of  Hamilton  Grange,  Lawrence 
Co.,  Ohio,  sends  us  the  following  “resolution” 
which  lie  says  was  passed  by  liis  Orange: 
“To  say  our  current  agricultural  press  is  a  disap¬ 
pointment  is  putting  it  mildly.  Its  ‘staml-pat’  policies, 
its  prosperity  delusion,  its  optimistic  lullaby,  its  gos¬ 
pel  of  growing  extra  blades  of  grass  and  bumper  crops 
to  he  exploited  by  speculators  and  benevolently  assimi¬ 
lated  by  a  host  of  salary  boosters  and  treasury  looters, 
while  our  vivisection  hv  ail  unjust  taxing  system  and 
a  perverted  Government  goes  merrily  oil,  is  beginning 
lo  grate  like  a  harsh  discord  on  the  mental  sensibilities 
of  our  stupid  and  benighted  rural  masses." 
Somehow  that  does  not  sound  like  a  farmer’s  writ¬ 
ing — too  many  big  words.  A  farmer  usually  goes 
about  liis  work  with  short  words  and  large  mean¬ 
ing.  However,  if  the  Hamilton  Grange  stands  for 
this  and  will  live  up  to  it.  its  members  are  to  lie 
congratulated,  for  this  resolution  states  the  thought 
which  is  surely  growing  in  the  minds  of  our  farm¬ 
ers.  The  average  "resolution”  does  not  amount  to 
a  string  of  words,  for  it  simply  means  divided  and 
indirect  responsibility.  The  members  of  this  Grange, 
if  they  mean  business,  can  now  carry  their  resolu¬ 
tion  into  effect.  Let  them  go  over  the  farm  papers 
and.  if  they  find  any  which  really  deserve  this  cen¬ 
sure,  cut  them  out  promptly  and  tell  why  they  do 
it.  That  is  the  only  "resolution"  that  resolves,  and 
The  It.  N.-Y.  will  stand  up  and  cheerfully  take  its 
medicine  right  on  its  record.  Another  thing  these 
Grangers  forgot  to  mention  is  that  many  of  the  farm 
papers  are  giving  their  subscriptions  away  in  con¬ 
nection  with  daily  papers  or  with  a  lot  of  junk 
which  they  offer  as  “premiums”- — in  order  to  make 
a  padded  showing  with  advertisers.  Under  this 
system  the  honest  subscriber  can  have  no  influ¬ 
ence  on  the  policy  of  the  paper.  There  is  no 
question  hut  that  a  strong  and  silent  revolution  is 
going  on  in  the  thought  of  American  farmers  of  the 
middle  class.  The  authorities  who  are  teaching 
the  “two  blades  of  grass  theory”  may  well  drop  their 
text  hook  for  it  time  and  read  the  history  of  the 
French  Revolution.  There  will  be  uo  bloodshed 
about,  the  coming  battle,  but  many  official  heads  will 
drop. 
Brevities 
Now  comes  woodpile  season. 
The  thinner  the  skin  the  tougher  the  life. 
A  calf  may  become  sick  fed  from  a  dirty  pail,  the 
same  as  a  baby  when  fed  from  a  dirty  bottle. 
Ouk  folks  have  become  greatly  interested  in  the  do¬ 
ings  of  the  Barlow  family  as  detailed  by  Jimmie  Bar- 
low.  In  the  January  magazine  number  we  shall  hear 
about  a  “ready-made  suit”  deal. 
The  latest  use  for  parcel  post  is  in  the  distribution  of 
hooks  in  a  circulating  library.  As  one  member  of  the 
widely  separated  club  finishes  a  book  he  mails  it  along 
to  the  next  one  and  so  on  around  the  circle. 
